A Phoenix man was fatally shot in an apartment-complex courtyard in April 1998. Nearly three decades later, his daughter is pressing investigators and the public to help identify whoever killed him.
Raul Aguilar was 23 when he was killed late one morning near 9th Avenue and McKinley, south of Roosevelt, and the case remains unsolved, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Aguilar was also known by the street name “Droopy,” a detail investigators hope could jog someone’s memory.
The Silent Witness flyer identifies the case as a fatal shooting on April 18, 1998, at approximately 11:43 a.m. It says Aguilar was shot in the yard of an apartment complex near 809 N. 9th Avenue, and lists the suspect as unknown.
Rocio Learned The Truth About Her Father Years Later
Rocio was 5 years old when Aguilar died, but she did not learn he was her biological father until three or four years ago. She told FOX 10 Phoenix that Aguilar met her once or twice as an infant and again when she was 5, and that she is his only living daughter.
Now, Rocio is advocating for justice and closure while asking anyone who remembers Aguilar, his nickname or the shooting to come forward. She said cases involving Chicano and Native American victims can disappear into files and go unseen, making renewed attention especially important to her.
Phoenix Cold Case Detectives Continue Reviewing Old Cases
The Phoenix Police Department says its homicide cold-case detectives handle killings that have remained unsolved for at least a year without viable, unexplored leads. According to the City of Phoenix Police Department, investigators review whether newer fingerprint, ballistics or DNA technology can help resolve older cases and follow up when new information arrives.
Anyone with information about Aguilar’s killing can contact Silent Witness at 480-948-6377. The organization says tipsters may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000 if their information leads to an arrest or indictment, subject to its eligibility rules.
